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Together； the three hastened back to Lord Hyrim。
He still clung to life； but he was almost at an end； the Raver's blast had burned him deeply。 His eye sockets were empty； and from between his hollow lids a thin green smoke rose up into the starlight。 As Sill lifted him into a sitting position； his hands groped about him as if they were searching for his staff； and he said weakly； 〃Do not…do not touchtake…〃
He could not speak it。 The effort burst his heart。 With a groan； he died in Sill's arms。
For a time； the Bloodguard stood over him in silence； gave him what respect they could。 But they had no words to say。 Soon Korik went and took up Kinslaughterer's fragment of the Illearth Stone。 Without a will to drive it； it was dull； it showed only fitful gleams in its core。 But it hurt his hand with a deep and fiery cold。 He clenched it in his fist。
〃We will take it to the High Lord；〃 he said。 〃Per
haps the other Ravers have such power。 The High Lord may use this power to defeat them。〃
Sill and Tull nodded。 In the ruin of the mission； there was no other hope left to them。
〃Then we sent homeward the bodies of our fallen rades；〃 Tull said softly。 〃There was no need for haste…we knew that their Ranyhyn could find a way in safety north of the Sarangrave。 And when that task was done； we returned to the five who stood watch at the lighthouse。 Two of them Korik charged to return to Lord's Keep with all possible speed； so that Revelstone might be warned。 And because he judged that the war had already begun…that the High Lord would be marching in the South Plains with the WarwardI was charged； and Shull and Vale with me； to bear these tidings southward； the way I have e。 With Sill and Doar； Korik undertook the burden of the Illearth Stone； so that it might be taken in safety to Revelstone for the Lords。〃
At last the Bloodguard fell silent。 For a long time； Troy sat gazing sightlessly at the stone before him。 He felt deaf and numb…too shocked to hear the low breeze blowing around Kevin's Watch； too stunned to feel the chill of the mountain air。 Dead？ he asked silently。 All dead？ But it seemed to him that he felt nothing。 In him there was a pain so deep that he was not conscious of it。
But in time he recollected himself enough to raise his head； look over at Lord Mhoram。 He could see the Lord dimly。 His forehead was tight with pain； and his eyes bled tears。
With an effort； Troy found his voice。 It was husky with emotion as he asked； 〃Is this what you saw last night？ Is this it？〃
〃No。〃 Mhoram's reply was abrupt。 But it was not abrupt with anger； it was abrupt with the exertion of suppressing his sobs。 〃I saw Bloodguard fighting in the service of the Despiser。〃
There was a long and heartrending pause before Tull said through his teeth； 〃That is impossible。〃
〃They should not have touched the Stone；〃 the Lord breathed weakly。 〃They should not…！〃
Troy wanted to question Mhoram； ask him what he meant。 But then suddenly he realized that he was seeing more clearly。 His fog was lifting。
At once； he rose to his knees； turned； braced his chest on the edge of the parapet。 Instinctively； he tightened his sunglasses on his face。
Along the rim of the eastern horizon dawn had already begun。
EIGHTEEN： Dooms Retreat
IMMEDIATELY； Troy jumped erect to face the sun。
His panions stood with him in tense silence； as if they intended to share what he would see。 But he knew that even the Bloodguard could not match his mental sight。 He paid no attention to them。 All his awareness was consumed by the gradual revelations of the dawn。
At first； he could see only a fading gray and purple blankness。 But then the direct rays of the sun caught the platform； and his surroundings began to lift their heads out of the mist。 Above the long fall into shadow； he received his first visual sense of the wide open air in which Kevin's Watch stood as if on the tip of a dark finger accusing the heavens。 In the west； across a distance too great for any sight but his； he saw sunlight touch the thin snowcaps of the mountain wedge which separated the South Plains from Garroting Deep。 And as the sun climbed higher； he made out the long curve of peaks running south and then west from the valley of Mithil Stonedown to Doom's Retreat。
Then the light reached down to the hills which formed the eastern border of the Plains between Kevin's Watch and Andelain。 Now he could follow the whole course of the Mithil River northwest and then north until it joined the Black。 He felt strangely elevated and mighty。 His gaze had never prehended so much before； and he understood how High Lord Kevin must have felt。 Standing on the Watch was like being on the pinnacle of the Earth。
But the sun kept rising。 Like a tide of illumination； it flooded across the Plains； washing away the last of his blindness。
What he saw staggered him where he stood。 Horror filled his eyes like the rush of an avalanche。 It was worse than anything he could have imagined。
He made out the Warward first。 His army had just begun to march； it crept south along the mountain wedge。 He saw it as hardly more than a smudge in the foothills； but he could gauge its speed。 It was still two days from Doom's Retreat。
Hiltmark Quaan's force was closer to him； and farther from the Retreat。 But the horsemen were moving faster。 He estimated their numbers instinctively； instantly； he knew at once that they had been decimated。 More than a third of the two hundred Bloodguard were gone； and of Quaan's twelve Eoward less than six remained。 They hurried raggedly； almost at a dead rout。
Raging at their heels came a vast horde of kreshat least ten thousand of the savage yellow wolves。 The mightiest of them； the most powerful two thousand； bore black riders…ur…viles。 The ridden kresh ran in tight wedges； and the ur…vile loremasters at the wedge tips threw torrents of dark force at every rider who fell within their reach。
In an effort to control the pace； restrain it from utter flight； Eoman turned at intervals。 Twenty or forty warriors threw themselves together at the yellow wall to slow the charge of the kresh。 Troy could see flashes of blue fire in these sorties； Callindrill and Verement were alive。 But two Lords were not enough。 The riders were hopelessly outnumbered。 And they were already
well beyond the Mithil River in their race toward Doom's Retreat。 Even if they ran no faster； they would reach the Retreat before the marching Warward。
Quaan had been unable to gain the last day that the marchers needed。
Yet even that was not the most crushing sight。 Behind the wolves came the main body of Lord Foul's army。 This body was closer than the others to Kevin's Watch； and Troy could see it with appalling clarity。
The Giant striding at its head was the least of its horrors。 At the Giant's back marched immense ranks of Cavewights at least twenty thousand of the strong； ungainly rock delvers。 Behind them hurried an equal number of ur…viles； loping on all fours for better speed。 Through their ranks； hundreds of fearsome； lionlike griffins alternately trotted and flew。 And after the Demondim…spawn came a seething； grim army so huge that Troy could not even guess its number